Brazil COVID-19 Employer Resources
According to a March 12, 2021 report from Time, “COVID-19 has never been brought fully under control in Brazil, but the transmission is now at an all time high, and on Mar. 5 Brazil accounted for 30% of new daily cases globally. Even though state and local governments have imposed social distancing and lockdowns across much of the country, many say the president’s criticism of such restrictions has fostered resistance to them from his supporters.
“The wide spread of COVID-19 across Brazil has allowed the virus to mutate and led to the emergence of new, more immune-resistant and infectious strains, including the P1 variant which was first reported in the Amazonian city of Manaus in late 2020. Scientists say P1 is twice as infectious as earlier strains of the virus and it seems to be better at evading immune response, meaning that antibodies developed by people who caught earlier versions of COVID-19 are less effective against the new strain. Vaccine makers are testing the efficacy of their shots against P1. Lab tests show the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford University/Astra Zeneca vaccines are effective against it. Scientists at Brazilian research institute Fiocruz said March 4 that “variants of concern”, including P1, have become dominant in six of eight states they studied.”
According to information released by the Ministry of Health, vaccinations started on January 18, 2021, with the doses distributed among Brazilian states and made available by SUS (Brazilian Public Healthcare System) that relies on subsidies from federal and state governments for administration.
Read SCIATH’s full report to learn when prioritized groups will receive the vaccine.
COVID-19 vaccine considerations for Brazil
- Can employers mandate the vaccine?
No - Who will control delivery of the vaccine?
Federal government - Who covers the cost of the vaccine?
Government - Where will people get vaccinated?
Health centers - Is there cultural resistance to getting the vaccine?
Moderate, recent surveys have shown that the number of people wanting to get vaccinated has increased from December/2020 to January/2021, being around 79%.
More Information
Coronavirus in Brazil: What You Need to Know
Covid-19: Brazil Begins Vaccinations as It Battles Virus Variants
This information is provided by SCIATH Benefit Solutions, Asinta's partner in Brazil.
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Top 6 Vaccine Considerations
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Page last modified: March 14, 2021
The information presented on this site is current as of the date initially posted; and, because matters related to COVID-19, the vaccine, and compliance measures are changing so quickly, it may not be current as of the date you read it. While the information gathered here is from Asinta global partners who are subject matter experts in their respective fields, this information is not meant to be a substitute for individual legal or medical advice, or as a substitute for advice in your specific situation.